Research shows impact of smoking and exercise

Sunday 2 Apr 2017

Charles Sturt University (CSU) research has provided
new insight into the impacts of smoking and exercise on the brain and immune
system.

The research by PhD graduate Dr Tegan Kastelein from CSU's School of
Exercise Science, Sport and Health found that tobacco smoking potentially
reduces brain oxygenation and may inhibit the beneficial immune responses of exercise.

"Previous
research has mainly focused on chronic smokers or people who've been smoking
for more than 30 years.

"What
makes my research unique is that it also examines the impacts on current
smokers and those who've been smoking for less than five years, as well as
examining the impacts of exercise."

Near-infrared
spectroscopy was used to determine the effect of tobacco smoking
and exercise on cerebral oxygenation in smokers and non-smokers.

Blood samples were also
analysed for to examine the immune inflammatory responses.

Dr Kastelein's research
showed differences between the smoker and non-smoker groups and between those
with a shorter and longer smoking history.

"I found that during
smoking there's a desaturation of brain oxygen," Dr Kastelein said.

"Exercise triggers a
beneficial response from our immune system and my study showed that smoking suppressed
that response.

"The research also
indicates that exercise produces favourable cardiac responses in people who are
smokers.

"I'd like to continue
research in this area and I'm particularly interested investigating how those
key indicators are affected when people stop smoking and start exercising.

"The impact of
electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, which deliver
nicotine and other chemicals to the smoker via an aerosol vapour, is another
area of interest."

Dr Kastelein was awarded her
PhD, The effects of tobacco smoking and
exercise on cerebro vascular responses, oxidative stress and systemic
inflammation; the influence of age and smoking status during a graduation
ceremony in Bathurst in December 2016.

Her research has been
published in the journals, Human &
Experimental Toxicology and Frontiers
in Immunology.